Final Feudal Fairy Tale
by Ayame no Ekishou
Summary: My first Fan Fic, Hiko, a cousin of Kagome's, has found herself lost in Kagome's world, without Kagome. Hiko must overcome her own trials to find her lost cousin, and learn what destiny really is. Rated for language
1. Chapter 1: Deja Vu

**Final Feudal Fairy Tale**

**Chapter one: Deja vu.**

_I don't own InuYasha, I don't even own a plushie of InuYasha. I do own Hiko though, but that's all. Don't sue me!_

The sun had already started to set against the Tokyo summer sky as Hiko Higurashi clambered up the steps of her grandfather's shrine, she was there for a visit, and also, to help her grandfather with his shrinely duties. She had gotten word from him through a telephone call that her favorite little cousin, Kagome, had been sick as of late, and wasn't able to help at all. From what it sounded like on the phone it was pretty serious too. She scaled the last step and took a quick look around the simple shrine. She was a shrine maiden herself, having helped her own father in their shrine up in Okinawa, so she would be perfect to help her aging grandfather in tending to the shrine. Quickly, she crossed the grounds towards the house, and rapt urgently on the door, if she didn't get inside soon, she was going to drop everything she was lugging around in her luggage. She smiled as the door rattled open, and there stood Souta, her younger cousin. His face was bland until suddenly, as if recalling a stranger, a smile cracked over his face and he jumped at her, hugging her tight around the middle, " Hiko itoko! I haven't seen you in forever!", he sqeeked through her shirt.

" Ack! Souta! Careful, or i'm going to drop my things!", she laughed gently, doing her best to return his embrace with all the suitcases in her hands.

" Oh! Lemme help!", he grabbed the second largest bag out of her hands and raced into the house, yelling into the side room, "Mama! Hiko is here!"

Hiko sighed with a wry smile and entered the threshold of the Higurashi home, just then, Mama Higurashi poked her head out of the kitchen and clapped her hands together with a brilliant smile when she spotted her neice in the doorway, " Hiko! My dear girl look at you! You've gotten so beautiful!", Mama grinned as she gathered up Hiko in her arms for a hug.

" Arigatou, Mama obasan! It's been a long while, and you don't look a day older!" she giggled as she hugged her aunt in return, while slipping off her shoes.

" Of course I don't. I haven't aged.", Mama Higurashi said matter-of-factly, " Oh! Dear, let me help you. We can set these in the guest room.", she said as she grabbed a few of Hiko's bags, and headed off for the stairs, and Hiko could do little more than follow.

After everything had been settled in her room, and after Granpa Higurashi's enterance, dressed in full priests' robes and carrying several jars of what looked like pickled lizards, Hiko finally had enough sense to ask where Kagome was, and was suprised by the reaction.

" Uhh...", Souta stuttered, " She's, ahh...well...Oh, NO! I don't mean the well...Wait! Yes I do! No! ACK!", Hiko raised a dark eyebrow as the youth slapped a hand over his mouth and ran out of the room, down the hall, and away from her.

" Well that was odd...", Hiko shrugged before heading to the kitchen for dinner.

Dinner was normal as normal dinners go, except for the fact that Kagome was no where to be seen, she didn't show up for dinner, and Hiko hadn't seen her favorite cousin all day, she had just assumed that Kagome was simply too ill to be up and about, and left it to that until the next morning, when Kagome didn't come down for breakfast either.

" Ohayou Hiko!" Her aunt called as she slumped her way into the kitchen, Mama Higurashi was already working on breakfast, dressed and primped, ready for the day, while Hiko looked as if she was still quite possibly asleep. Her long, ebony hair was tied back in a messy braid, accompanined by rumpled pajamas with tiny pictures of dancing moons and stars embroidered all over.

"Ohayou...Mama obasan.", she mumbled through a yawn. She looked up as her aunt chuckled at her, and realized how funny she must look right now.

" Goodness, you look like you didn't get much sleep." Mama Higurashi frowned, while shoving a plate of pancakes under her niece's nose.

Hiko gave a small smile and nodded gently, " Not much actually, kept having dreams about the Goshinboku, and Kagome, and some other boy I can't describe. I know he was wearing red, but that's all I really remember." Hiko didn't catch her aunt's faint gasp or her look of astonishment, but instead was focused on her delicious breakfast. Mama Higurashi wondered faintly about her niece, before continuing the rest of breakfast in silence.

Around noon, Hiko was starting to get very bored. She had already worked on her tan, went to the grocery with her aunt, even played a quick game with Souta. She had decided to change into some summer clothes and head out for some fresh air, but her grandpa was waiting and caught her as she stepped outside. Her grandfather had yammered on for nearly three hours about the Sunset Shrine's history, how it came to be, the powers associated with the Higurashi name. Nothing Hiko hadn't already studied. She was escstatic when the shrine suddenly had visitors, and her grandfather had gone to attend to them. She all but ran inside the house to hide, ignoring Souta's "HeyIgotthisnewgamed'youwannaplaywithme!", someone had given the kid one of those pixie sticks, and he was on a mile high sugar rush, something she just didn't feel like dealing with. Instead, she was bound and determined to see one person.

She knocked quietly on the unappealing door to her cousin's room before turning the pink-tissue covered knob, " Kagome? Kagome are you awake?", she started, but then stopped, looking around the room in a state of utter confusion. " What the? Kagome's not even here!" She looked over the many things in the room, her bed was made and pressed, everything was in its place, but covered in a week's worth of dust. She hadn't been there for a while. _So where is she? She's supposed to be sick!_ She sighed and fingered through a few of Kagome's leftover school assignments, _Some of these are dated for two weeks ago!_ She was starting to get a little worried when something caught her eye, it was a tiny glass vial set on the corner of her desk. " What's this?", she asked no one in particular as she grabbed the small vial and peered into it. There was something inside, and it was glowing a faint shade of pink. " It can't be...this...this looks like the Shikon no Tama. But how...?" Hiko shook her head, she knew for a fact that the Shikon no Tama was safely enshrined in her own family's shrine in Okinawa, while here, the Goshinboku was cared for. " How did Kagome get these...?"

She practically flew down the stairs, vial in hand, past Souta and Mama, and out onto sun-baked shrine grounds. Her goal was to talk to her grandfather, but something felt heavy on her mind. So heavy infact, her steps were forced to stop. It was like some kind of white hot electricity shot through her head, and she whirled around, only to be faced with a small, dark shrine on the corner of the grounds. She let out a breath she didn't know she was holding, _It...its calling to me. There's something in that little hut..._Her steps seemed to echo indefinately as she got closer, pulsing with the beat of her heart. They were so loud, and everything else was so quiet. Her hand reached for the door, closer, closer still, she could almost feel herself being pulled inside by some unknown force, it spoke to her, whispered of adventure...

" Hiko? What are you doing there, girl?" Her grandfather's voice cut through to her, and she jumped, making a small squeak of suprise.

"Ojiisan! You scared me!" She placed a hand over her thundering heart, breathing heavier than would be considered normal, " I...I was just..."

Her grandfather just frowned at her and set his hands on his hips, " You know, this shrine is sacred, this is the Bone Eater's well, carved out of wood from the Goshin--", He had started, but Hiko had no intention of listening to him, she just wanted to distance herself from that place for now, so, she cut him off by yelling at the imaginary voice of her aunt.

" Oh! Yes! I'm comming Mama obasan!" she called off loudly in the general direction of the house before running off, away from her talkitive grandfather, ignoring the aging man's look of exasperation.

" Ugh!" she sputtered as she plopped down in the shaded grass beside the sacred tree itself. It was almost unbearably hot. Her grandfather was off somewhere, talking to visitors in the heat. She felt slightly guilty for not helping him right away, but she just couldn't get that man to talk about anything but history. She groaned inwardly when she realized she hadn't asked him about the vial, she was just in such a hurry to get away! She pulled the fragile glass container out of the pocket of her long cotton skirt and shook it gently, watching the faintly glowing shards bounce around on the inside, making a tinkling noise against the glass._ There are just so many unanswered questions...And no one to help me answer them. Why did they tell me Kagome's sick anyway? Why are they lying? My own family...And these shards, it's the Shikon no Tama, I know that...but, how!_ She groaned again, her head was starting to hurt. Hiko leaned tiredly against the ancient bark of the Goshinboku, and closed her eyes. The small hut flashed against her eyelids, startling her. She opened her eyes and gasped audibly._That shrine...it has magic in it. I know it. I'll have to check it out later._ Her dark eyes squinted against the hot afternoon sun, and she gave herself a cunning smile, " After Dinner..." she said as she leapt up, and made her way towards the house.

*****************************************************

Dinner was just as uneventful as breakfast. She asked about Kagome again, and got the response she expected. Kagome was sick in her room with emphataigo or something of that sort, and couldn't come down for dinner. Hiko just shrugged and ate her meal in relative silence. After dinner, she helped her aunt with a few dishes, before heading into her room, where she sat on the edge of the matress, and waited.

It was an hour or two before she heard her aunt go into her room and saw the light go out in the hall way. _Good, she'll be asleep soon._ She waited just a few minutes more, her ear pressed to the wall, when the sounds of rhythmic breathing could be heard from the other room. Hiko stole out into the hallway, and down the stairs, taking care to not step on the second to last step, which squeaked loudly whenever someone stepped on it. She reached the door and flung herself out of it, still trying to stick her feet all the way into her shoes. The shrine was dark and still as she made her way towards the well house. The moon was high in the sky now, and the day's heat had been completely quenched by night's cool touch. Hiko was starting to rethink her little endeavor as she shivered in the cold. She was still wearing her skimpy cotton shirt and her long skirt after all, but her curiosity was getting the better of her as she laid eyes on the wellhouse. The little shrine itself was particularly dark, even with the light of the moon, and Hiko hesitated for a moment, staring at the structure when she felt it again, the unmistakeable pull coming from inside the wellhouse.

She inhaled deeply, and walked foreward slowly. Again her heart thumped in tune with the pulls on her soul. She was determined to see what was inside there, she had to know, she had to find out, nothing was going to stop her this time. She reached the door and slid it open, stepping into the darkness of the tiny shrine. Inside it was pitch black, she could hardly see the hand in front of her face, so it wasn't a suprise when she missplaced her foot, and fell down some stairs. Hiko landed painfully on her side, having hit her back on the side of something old, and wooden. She fumbled around in the darkness, cursing her forgetfullness, If only she had thought ahead enough to bring a flashlight, or some matches even! She grumbled as she pulled herself up, when she remembered the tiny vial of shards in her pocket. She hastily tried to fish them out of her pocket but gave an outraged cry as the smooth glass vial slipped from her hands, she fumbled with them before they eluded her grasp and fell down a deep hole. " NO!" she gasped as she watched the tiny glowing vial fall, and shatter at the bottom of the well. Hiko groaned and let out a frustrated sigh, " Perfect..."

Mustering up her resolve she peered over the lip of the well. She could still see the small fragments through the darkness, it didn't look too far down, she could probably jump, then shimmy her way back up. Hiko nodded, gathered her courage, hitched up her skirt, and threw a leg over the edge, hoisting herself off the wooded railing and down into the mouth of the well. She braced for impact, closing her eyes and readying her knees to land, but she never landed. _What the?_ Her eye peeked open, only to find the shards dancing before her eyes, she grabbed at them, then gasped as she got a look around. She was surrounded by a shimmering light, and was flying? No, floating, floating through this rift. Her mind started to reel uncontrollably, unable to comprehend what was happening, all of her senses were on overload, and she was starting to panic. There was magic enveloping her, and the force that had been beckoning her before was stronger now, dragging her towards a steadily brightening light. The light consumed her, and her legs collapsed when she hit the solid ground again. The very last thing she remembered before blacking out was the shards, and how brightly they had begun glowing.

Mwhaha...Cliffy. I love those things. They're so great!

Japanese lesson:  
Obasan-Aunt  
itoko-cousin  
Ohayou- "Good Morning"  
Ojiisan- Granfather  
Goshinboku- God Tree  
Shikon no Tama- Jewel of Four Souls

If there's anything I missed ask me and i'll make sure to translate!


	2. Chapter 2: Boy in Red

**Final Feudal Fairy Tale**

**Chapter two: The Boy in Red**

_Yeah...InuYasha isn't mine. He's Rumiko Takahashi's. Hiko is mine though._

* * *

There was a sense of peace there, and she saw them again. Kagome, and the boy in red. He looked, tied to the Goshinboku, no...not tied, vines were there. Who was he? And Kagome, an arrow...a spell. What was this? A centipede, no...! Lookout Kagome!

" Kagome!", Hiko gasped, glaring her dark eyes against the bright sun." Ugh... my head...what a dream." She sat up carefully, feeling a few bumps and bruises she hadn't realized she had before. Her eyes finally cleared and she took in her entire surroundings, stone, dirt, a few bones, all lit by the bright sun. _Wait a minute...The sun!_ She looked straight up, and saw clear blue sky above. _That's odd...I thought the well was inside the little shrine._ Sighing and rubbing her aching temples gently she took a better look around the little square well she was in. There was a simple rope ladder hanging off one of the sides, how convienient. Grabbing hold of the ladder she made her way out of the well. Flinging herself over the rim and onto thick grass. Hiko gasped again,_ grass? Where am I!_ All that met her eyes was thick, green woodland in every direction, and a sudden rush of panic swept through her body. She knew something odd had happened when she went through the well, but she couldn't remember what it was! All she remembered was darkness, then light, then more darkness.

" Okay Hiko, get a grip. You've probably just fallen through to another well..." she nodded, trying to bring everything into some semblance of reality, before her resolved cracked slightly, " So...falling into another well isn't possible. Right...next option." She stood then, taking a good glance around, before pacing back and forth around the side of the well. She never even saw the figure that approched from the side, until he dropped down right in front of her. Nearly on top of her actually, and Hiko was so startled her own reflexes kicked in, she thrust out her arms, turned her head, and shoved the figure away before running in the opposite direction.

She couldn't remember a time she had run so fast in her life. She tore through the woods brazenly, ripping the bottom of her skirt on the underbrush. She had thought she'd out run the figure when she felt her legs cramping and she peeked over her shoulder and didn't see anything, but that was until it plopped down infront of her again, crouched slightly ahead of her. This time she could do nothing but stare, the hunched form looked human almost, but all she could make out was white, and red, and...twitching dog ears? She opened her mouth to speak but was cut off by a rather gruff voice, " Keh, what the hell was that back there Kagome?" Hiko's mouth snapped shut and she asserted herself a little more, eyes narrowing at the crouched figure ahead of her, she was just about to speak again, when the figure stood. It was a man, hardly older than herself, and dressed very strangely. He looked back at her as if she was just as astonishing to him as he was to her.

" You're...you're not Kagome...!" He growled at her, which shocked Hiko, she had never heard that sound from a man before. She backed away, but in another astonishing move, he was directly infront of her, sniffing at her hair. " You smell like Kagome though, kinda look like her too..."

" WOAH! Back off there, buddy!" She shoved him away roughly, he had just crossed a line, a complete stranger was sniffing her hair! _What a weirdo!_, she thought angrily. She huffed indignantly at the strange man and gave him her patented 'look', an odd little move she did where she haughtily crossed her arms over her chest, stuck out one hip and gave him the most dubious look she could muster.

The man gave a suprised look at the rough treatment and balled up a fist, snarling at her, " What the fuck was that for!"

Hiko's eyes widened at the crudeness of it all and replied in an elevated voice, " Ever hear of something called 'personal space'!? I don't even know you!"

The man gave her another frustrated growl, glaring at her with bright, amber colored eyes, " Keh, you must be related to Kagome. There's no way anyone else in the world could act the way you two do and NOT be related."

Hiko stopped and raised an eyebrow, before suddenly withdrawing into herself, speaking softly, " K...Kagome is my cousin. I went looking for her, and she wasn't in her room, so I felt this weird thing from the well house, and there are the peices of the Shikon no Tama, and ojiisan, and then there was this light, then grass and sunlight, now you and I still don't know where I am!" She gasped as her knees wobbled and she fell to the grass, she was exhausted from running and confused. Tears were already pooling at her lashes, and she couldn't quite figure out why. She was just so utterly lost, and now she just wanted to find a familiar face.

The man, on all accounts, looked totally dumbfounded, one second this girl was ready to jump down his throat, the next, she's crying? It just didn't make sense. Then again, a lot things women did didn't make sense. He growled at her again, the acrid scent of tears plaguing at his nose already, " Just stop cryin' already! Damnit, that's all you women ever do! You say you were looking for Kagome? Well she's not here. She was supposed to go back to visit family."

She sniffed and looked up at the man with wide eyes still glimmering with tears, " But she's not at her home! And what do you mean, "go back."? Where am I now!"

Groaning, he made his way over and crouched in front of her, staring her in the eyes. She could tell he was thinking, and it was taking a lot to try and figure a way to say what he wanted to. She glanced over his face, his eyes were a shocking color of amber, and he had sharp fangs in his mouth, or what she thought were fangs. And, there, right on top of his head, two small triangles of silver, they looked just like ears..._dog ears..._She made a motion to check and see if they were real, but a clawed hand shot out and caught her by the wrist, and her eyes fell on a smirking face in front of hers. " You are related to Kagome...", she huffed and looked away from him. She had already told him that they were cousins, what other evidence did he need? Her jerked her hand away from his hold and kept her eyes averted while he spoke, " Kagome says that she comes from, " The Present.", and sometimes I hear her call it "the future", or something stupid like that. But she calls this time "Sengoku Jidai.", she showed it to me a few times in her hees-torie books." He looked proud of himself, confident that should be the answer to any and all of her questions of where she was. Hell, it even answered of few of when she was.

Hiko just stared at him, open mouthed, before giving him the 'look' again, " So, you're telling me I fell into an old well, and traveled 500 years into the past, and Kagome's been doing this for a while?"

The person infront of her, completely missing the skeptisism, nodded innocently, " Yeah, she's been going back and forth for about...eh..." Hiko couldn't help but grin as he counted out fingers, " about two years, seven months..."

" Two years! She's been time traveling for two years?"

"Yes! That's what I said, you deaf or somethin'?"

"Well sorry! But this is hard to swallow! If I wasn't living it I wouldn't believe it. I still don't think I believe it!"

He growled at her then, " Well believe it, and if you're here looking for Kagome, and she's not here, that means she's gone somewhere...or she was taken." His face suddenly grew stony, and he swore darkly before punching the ground and creating an indention through sheer force. He stood swiftly then and started walking off, but he stopped when he realized she wasn't following, " What are you waiting for? I'm not carrying you!"

Her cheeks blushed in an embarassed sort of way and she stood, though still a bit wobbly, and made her way after him. He knew Kagome, and it was Hiko's closest clue for now, but now her cousin was missing. Something horribly akin to dread knotted itself in her stomach and she tucked her arms over her abdomen. One of his ears twitched her way, and she managed a weak smile as he turned his head to look at her through the sides of his eye. " I never got your name, I'm Hiko Higurashi...you are..?"

He closed his eyes in a rather arrogant sort of way and his two ears flattened defensively over his head.

"InuYasha."

**********************************************************

The entire walk to the villiage was filled with InuYasha answering Hiko's many, many questions. Some of which he only gave the reply of, " Keh!" Hiko knew why Kagome was traveling back in time now, she had shattered the Shikon no Tama with a spiritual arrow, and pieces had spread themselves all over the country. She was more suprised that her little cousin had powerful miko powers, and that the actual jewel lay embedded in her body for so long. She never heard a more interesting story in her entire life, it all seemed so unreal, Demons, cursed hands, demon slayers, betrayal, the Shikon no Tama, and Kagome, all stuck in the middle. Needless to say, she was absolutely enthralled with what InuYasha had to say. It was something straight out of a fairy tale, even InuYasha himself was a hanyou, but she had to admit she had never met a more brash individual. He was rough and blunt, but she smiled inwardly everytime he mentioned Kagome. She could just tell there was something between the two, though she couldn't be sure until she saw them together.

" Hey you, wake up! Damn, can't get you to shut up the whole way here, now when I have a question you get all quiet." He crossed his arms over his chest, something she noted as one of his favorite positions before she shook her head.

" Sorry InuYasha, I was just thinking about something else, what did you say?"

" I said, It's getting late already, you gonna be stayin' here?" He rolled his eyes and pointed ahead towards a few small huts scattered about, she could see the forms of people moving about busily, attending to daily village duties before the sun set. Which was a blessing, because the walk over was almost unbearably hot. She couldn't understand how InuYasha managed to wear those thick clothes he had on. She was just glad she still had on her cottony summer clothes, even though they were dirty and ripped now.

" Oh, yes, I suppose so. I want to help you find Kagome." Hiko nodded at him, and he just gave her another, " Keh!" before turning up his nose. She ignored this for the most part, and kept her eyes staring ahead. The village was a quaint, cozy little place. Several children were running this way and that, filling the air with happy giggles, smells of dinner wafted to her through the doors of several of the huts, and she realized then just how very hungry she was. She kept her hunger hidden though, it was bad enough how InuYasha thought Kagome was so weak, when it was obvious she wasn't, she didn't need him jumping on her case too.

She was so busy concentrating on trying to keep her hunger pains hidden from InuYasha that she gave a yelp when a russet ball of fur ploughed into her stomach, sending her sprawling to the ground.

"Kagomeeeeee!", it squealed, the ball of fur was actually what looked to Hiko like a child, he had bright orange hair, and a fluffy cream colored tail. She gave a meek smile as he snuggled into her tummy, looking for all the world the most adorable thing she had ever seen.

" Shippou, am I right?" She looked up at InuYasha for reassurance, and the hanyou just nodded at her, muttering under his breath, " Yeah, that's the brat."

Shippou jumped up when he heard her voice, and took a good look at her face, before pointing and gasping, looking utterly offended, " Y..You're not Kagome!"

" No she, isn't! Now get lost! Go do something useful and find Miroku!" InuYasha growled, the little kitsune squeaked and hid behind her as she stood up, peeking out at the angry hanyou from between her legs.

"InuYasha take it easy on him, sheesh. Anyone ever tell you, you've got a short temper when it comes to kids?" Her arms folded over her chest, and Shippou gave a brave, yet not-so-brave nod from behind her.

InuYasha's voice dropped a few tones and became almost dangerously quiet, " I've got a short temper when it comes to anything, now move IT!"

Hiko's eyes widened in outrage, and she turned her nose up at him, obviously displaying her defiance by not moving an inch from the spot she was standing. This just caused InuYasha to growl loudly, a vein formed on his forehead, and his hands balled into fists, " Fine, there are other ways to move you.", and with that he moved over, and hoisted her up over his shoulder, litterally carrying her down the street kicking and screaming, with a tentative Shippou following behind.

" Why you chauvanistic, overbearing, arrogant, impatient...", Hiko spat as InuYasha set her down inside one of the larger huts, " How dare you! Dragging me through the street like that!" She felt her anger rise when he just shrugged, folded his arms and legs, and flopped down on the floor in a corner placidly.

Hiko had almost forgotten about Shippou when she felt a tiny clawed hand tug gently on her sock; she looked down to see a curious little fox demon staring up at her with large eyes, " How come you smell a lot like Kagome?", he asked her gently.

Hiko's anger for the surly hanyou melted at the sound of uncertainty in the baby youkai's voice, " It's because we're related. Kagome is my itoko, my cousin.", she knelt down, doing her best to comfort the little kitsune by ruffling his bangs with her fingers. He just gave her an indignant sort of look then smiled, taking in her answer. He didn't say much else after, just toddled off by the fire and watched her.

Hiko raised an eyebrow, they both looked so comfortable, was this their house? She was just about to approach InuYasha on the matter, when the reed mat that served as a door swung open behind her, she turned to find an older woman, dressed in ancient miko robes. Her skin was marred by wrinkles and scars, and she had an eyepatch covering one of her eyes. The older woman regarded her with something akin to suprise before looking past Hiko towards InuYasha, who had a single eye peeked open. The old woman turned to Hiko again, giving her a good look over before speaking, " Who might you be child? A friend of Kagome's? You are dressed in much the same way."

Hiko just shook her head,_ This must be Kikyou...no wait..that other miko, what was her name?_ " Uhm...I'm Kagome's cousin." she was getting a little tired of saying how she was related to Kagome, she never had to do it before, it was just like people knew, now, it was like Hiko was some sort of alien, or they didn't know Kagome even had other family members outside of Tokyo. _Maybe I should just wear a sign._

Meanwhile, the old miko just nodded and spoke faintly before making her way over to the hearth, " I am Kaede, the priestess of residence in this village." Kaede began to gather things like pots and herbs Hiko thought were faintly familiar as she spoke, " I suppose ye will be staying for supper then?"

Hiko gave a faint blush and nodded, bowing in an apologetic sort of way, she had thought this hut was InuYasha's and Shippou's, but it was painfully obvious now, the hut belonged to Kaede and she had just invited herself right in. " Please, let me help you, Kaede..." she started, but the old miko was already in her zone. She had already started tossing in several bundles of chopped vegetables into a large wok that sizzled over the fire pit.

Kaede shook her head gently, but offered Hiko a smile, " Don't ye be troubled by an old woman, ye can go out an fetch me a pail of water. There is a river just outside, towards the end of the village."

Hiko just simply nodded and started for the door, spotting the bucket and taking a step outside. Outside the little hut, the village was quiet, the sun was setting now, she must have been knocked out in the bottom of that well longer than she'd realized. There were no more children laughing, just the sound of crickets chirping, and a few older men and women gathering things about for their own dinners. A few of them looked at Hiko with questioning glances, but none ever approached her. She kept her head down and sped up her path to the river, the other villager's stares were making her uncomfortable. Soon enough, Hiko heard and smelled the sound of rushing water, which was a good thing, the quickly setting sun was making it near impossible to see clearly. She filled the small pail with fresh water from the fast moving stream and turned, wanting to get back inside the safety of the little hut. Outside in the wilderness of feudal Japan didn't seem to be the best place to be alone in the dark. She didn't quite understand why, but the three of them, InuYasha, Kaede, and Shippou even, they all seemed to radiate a sense of security. So she nearly ran back up the path to the village trying to get back before the sun completely set, sloshing water about everywhere as she went. She gave a sigh of relief as she spotted the firelight of the village and was just about to enter Kaede's hut again when she heard voices, and her name.

"Hiko's nice! She hasn't done anything wrong!", that was Shippou, defending her?

"Aye, Shippou. I do sense a kind heart within her, but there is something else that radiates from her aura. Something I cannot define." That was Kaede that time, the old miko was looking at her aura, and she didn't pick up on it._ I need more study_, Hiko thought bitterly to herself.

"Keh, she's just some stupid human. She probably has miko powers like Kagome. They are related, remember?" and nothing could mistake InuYasha's gruff voice, she was just about to enter and have them include her in the conversation, when two more voices she couldn't identify cut through the stillness outside the hut.

"Well well, a cousin of Kagome's, hm? We'll just have to meet her! I could interrogate her myself if you wish, it would be a pleasure. The poor maiden must be so terrified and confused, she will need someone to comfort her in her...time of need.", that was a male's voice, Hiko wasn't exactly sure she liked the tone of voice he was carrying.

" You lecherous monk! You had better not lay a single finger on that girl!" This time it was another female, Hiko winced inwardly, the woman had almost the exact tone of voice that her own mother did. When they all started arguing again, she sighed and made herself known by entering the hut. Immediately, all went quiet, and Hiko shuddered at the amount of tension inside such a small structure. She set the pail by Kaede, who looked quite comfortable by the fire, and Hiko did the same, quietly setting herself near the fire, her eyes roaming over the two whom she had never seen before.

It was Kaede who broke the silence, " Hiko, this is the Taijiya, Sango, and Miroku, the monk. They are both good friends of your cousin."

They two looked at Hiko with questions swimming over their eyes. She had to admit, the both of them looked so very familiar, it was as if she was having a disturbing case of deja vu, they both looked almost like her own parents, only younger and ancient at the same time. " Hajimemashite..." she muttered quietly to them both with a respectful bow of her head.

They both nodded their heads in unison, but the houshi had a grin plastered over his face. He took a step foreward and sat by Hiko, taking both of her hands in his. His face was serious and he gazed at her as if she were his own saving grace, " My beautiful lady, you resemble Kagome so very much. I would be greatly honored if you would bare me a child, so that your beauty may live on through the land."

Hiko just stared at him with wide eyes, she had no idea what to day to that! She was just regaining her senses and balled up her fists, how dare he! Did he really think she was that cheap! The houshi had a huge smile on his face, but it was quickly removed, to Hiko's suprise, by a huge boomerang made of bone. The Taijiya, Sango took her weapon and cracked it over the monk's skull with a sickening thwack, and stood fuming over the monk's unconsious body, " I told you not to touch her!"

Shippou, Kaede and InuYasha all just shook their heads, as if this was normal behaviour for all of them. Hiko was a little more than suprised now, they all seemed to get along so well, yet bicker and fight so much. _Must be one of those Love, Hate relationships._ She thought, staring at Sango with wide eyes, Sango in turn, gave her a look of shame and walked quickly over to her, " Don't worry! I only do that to Houshi-sama, he deserves it though, no one here's going to hurt you." Sango had mistaken her look of suprise as fear and was trying to reassure her. How odd.

Hiko just shook her head and smiled, " Don't worry, i'm not frightened...uhm..Sango." she stopped to look at her, and Sango nodded telling her that she got her name right before Hiko continued, " I know Kagome trusted all of you. That's good enough for me, for now." She gave everyone in the room a bright smile, and they returned a warm one to her, well, except InuYasha and Miroku, seeing as how one was ornery and anti-social, and the other was knocked out on the floor. It was then Hiko's hunger made itself known, and her stomach gave out a loud growl.

Sango and Shippou gave a small giggle at the funny noise, InuYasha's ear twitched, and Kaede just nodded sagely. " Dinner time then." the old miko announced.

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Dinner was simple, but filling, and the dinner conversation consisted of why Hiko was there, and where Kagome was, along with a few personal questions about Hiko. InuYasha was especially adamant about finding Kagome, infact it had to take some strong reasoning on the parts of Miroku and Kaede to keep him from dashing out into the night to look for her then and there.

"Hiko, You said you're a shrine maiden as well, a miko, just like Kagome." Sango was sitting across the fire from her, looking at Hiko over a bowl of food with a very critical eye, " But you haven't said anything about having miko powers, or being able to perform the tasks a miko can do."

Hiko choked slightly on the carrot she was chewing, " Well, I...uh...you see..." she looked for an answer somewhere, anywhere, in truth she really didn't know why she didn't have the powers of a miko, the shrine maidens of her time usually couldn't do more than purify a few ofuda, ward off demons, the really "powerful" ones could heal a few scratches, but she had never heard of the kind of power Kagome possessed.

" I was wondering that as well, child." Kaede mumbled from nearby, she had nearly forgotten the old crone was there, and listening in, "You do have a strange aura about ye, but not one of a miko. At least none that i've come across before." Hiko could hear the sounds of InuYasha and a newly bandaged Miroku mumbling about something in the corner, and little Shippou...the little fox had already fallen asleep in a corner.

Hiko gave a yawn, watching the kitsune made her sleepy as well, before she just shrugged at the two women, " I really don't know what you two are talking about. I wouldn't have become a shrine maiden if I didn't have some of the powers of a miko, and Kaede obaasan, I don't know what you're sensing, but as far as I'm concerned, i'm just a normal girl. Nothing extraordinary, not like Kagome."

She gave them both a rather uncomfortable look, sending them a clear message that the conversation was over. Sango looked like she was about to press the subject, but Kaede just shook her head at the young taijiya, and she lowered her head with something dangerously close to anger flitting through her eyes.

Hiko noticed this, and decided her best bet would to be what Shippou had done, and just fall asleep. She was so tired of being compared to Kagome, everyone asking where Kagome was, why she looked so much like Kagome, why wasn't she as powerful as Kagome._ Argh! You'd think she was some kind of goddess around here, the way they speak of her. I don't care what they say, I am NOT calling her Kagome-sama. She just needs to be found so we can both go home, and mostly so she could explain a few things to me._ Hiko gave another tired yawn, doing her best to stifle it with her hand, but Kaede noticed and piped up, " There is a futon ready in the other room child, ye may sleep there if ye wish." She never looked up from the hearthfire, and instead spoke to the flames as she stoked the embers with a poker.

Hiko nodded gently and made her way into the other room, keeping her eyes averted so she didn't have to look at the others and their demanding glances. " Arigatou, Kaede obaasan..." she mumbled before moving the reed mat aside and stepping into the darkened room. The entire thing was little more than a large closet, with a few futons lined against the walls. She picked out one that was farthest away from the doorway and curled up uncomfortably. It wasn't that the bed was uncomfortable, but she was laying in a way so that her head was facing the entrance, just so she could see if anyone was coming.

She heard a few lowered voices comming from the next room, but couldn't make out anything they were saying,_ probably talking about me again..._Hiko frowned. Just then InuYasha's resounding, " Keh! She probably IS just a regular human." and then Sango's responding, " Shhh!" cut through the mumbles._ They ARE talking about me..._ Hiko gave a moan and rolled over to face the wall of the hut, shutting her eyes tight. _Just help them find Kagome, then you can go home, it's your responsibility, she's your cousin...mou, I gotta stop talking to myself._ She heaved a sigh and lay there for what seemed like the longest time, before she finally drifted off into an uneasy sleep.

_There was a haziness, all around, like a thick fog on some winter morning. And Hiko,_ What is this? A dream?_As if in answer, her body lurched foreward and then there was an incredible heat, it beat on her skin, but did not burn. She saw a brief flash of an ancient temple, surrounded by what looked like molten lava, before her body descended. There, in a window, she saw Kagome, unhurt, but also unconsious. She did her best to open her mouth and call to her, but no sound came from her throat. Whispers and voices echoed through to her, and the scene changed, she was outside now, high over a large, bubbling crater of an even larger volcano. There, in the middle, she could see the temple, but that was before the ground beneath her gave a visible jolt, and the crater rumbled, then exploded, engulfing the temple in hellfire...with Kagome still inside._

"NO!" Hiko gasped and sat bolt upright, eyes wide and panting in the darkness. Her body was drenched in a cold sweat, even though she felt like she was on fire. Her dream was so vivid! She could still see all the details in her mind's eye. She took a moment to figure out where exactly she was, when two figures burst into the doorway.

" You alright in here? We heard you yell." It was InuYasha, he looked a little angry about something, but then again, InuYasha always seemed angry about something.

"Yeah, InuYasha, i'm alright. Just had a nightmare." She sighed and wanted to go back to sleep, but the other figure, who turned out to be Kaede approached her, looking her over with a gaunt look of shock.

"A nightmare ye say? Come child, tell me what ye have seen." She turned and walked back into the main room, setting herself by the fire again.

Hiko groaned and forced her aching body to get up, then made her way into the much warmer common room. InuYasha gave her an odd look as she brushed past him, before actually following her into the other room. Hiko sat silently next to Kaede, and InuYasha, as was per usual for his nighttime routine, sat vigil by the door, listening to the two women with his enhanced hearing. Sango and Miroku were no where to be found, and for some reason, that only made Hiko more nervous.

Kaede looked at her expectantly, and Hiko just nodded before explaining her dream to the older woman, when she told her about the heat that didn't burn, Kaede's eyebrow raised, but she said nothing, and let Hiko finish her story. Hiko lowered her eyes when she told them about the volcano erupting and burning down the temple with Kagome inside. Dreams like hers just never improved any situation, and she thought the whole thing would only raise paranoias.

InuYasha just sat there with his eyes wide, he hated to hear anything that might suggest Kagome was in serious peril, and this girl's dream was one of those things, he snapped up at Kaede, who looked like she had been deep in thought, " Oi, Baabaa, what does it mean? Is Kagome in trouble?"

Kaede frowned and paused before answering him, " Aye InuYasha, I think she may well be soon. But for now, from what I can read from Hiko's dream, some event is waiting to happen. If it does not, or we do not find Kagome in time, the fires of the deep earth may destroy our Kagome."

InuYasha was on his feet and growling now, scowling at the both of them, " Then we should go out and find her! Why are we just waiting here! If Kagome's in danger we need to save her!"

Kaede frowned again, " Calm yourself InuYasha, we do not know where to begin looking." Hiko, who was absolutely mortified that she dreamt her own cousin's death, had been quiet, until the old miko turned to her with a very serious look. " I believe if I read into ye child, I may find where this temple is located."

InuYasha growled and punched the wooden frame of the door in frustration, sending a jolt through the entire hut. Shippou gave a small whimper from his corner at the noise, but didn't wake up, and InuYasha only turned around and stormed out of the hut. Obviously frustrated that they weren't going to look for Kagome right away. Hiko, on the other hand looked at the old woman oddly.

" Read into me?" she frowned, she wasn't sure if she liked that idea.

Kaede nodded solemnly, " Aye child, I will read into your soul, to see if the information is stored inside you. We may quite possibly find if a spell has been put on you to hide your aura from me as well." the old miko turned and readied herself quickly gathering a few nearby bowls and herbs before holding out a wrinkled hand to the younger girl.

Hiko gave a small gulp and placed her palm in the older woman's wrinkled hands. Kaede glanced over her palm, reading the lines she found there, before chanting something under her breath that Hiko couldn't understand. Kaede raised an eyebrow when her incantation didn't work, and instead of trying again, she changed it. Hiko noticed with a frown that a stress wrinkle was appearing on the woman's forehead as she chanted. The older woman continued her incantation as she took a bowl of some sticky, black substance, placed a finger inside, and drew some ancient kanji on the palm of Hiko's hand.

It was then that Hiko felt something. Her eyes went wide as her heart gave a searingly painful thud and she nearly collapsed on the floor. Her hand was getting almost uncomfortably warm, like it was too close to a fire. Kaede's chanting had faded, but Hiko looked with frightened eyes that her mouth was still moving. The old miko had her eyes closed in concentration, and sweat was starting to bead on her forehead. Another painful thud wracked her body and she desperately tried to get a breath of air into her lungs. The mark on her hand began to pulse wildly as she struggled to breathe._ What is going on!,_ her mind screamed frantically. Her body shuddered, and it seemed like it was only her and Kaede in some sort of neverending blackness.

Hiko was just about to pass out when Kaede pressed her fingertips to the mark on her hand. She felt something inside of her snap and give way then, like Kaede had opened something deep inside of her soul that had always been there to keep her held back, like she had broken some sort of dam that kept some horrible secret at bay. Hiko's whole body was warm, she could no longer see Kaede or hear her at all, but there were no more painful beatings of her heart, no suffocating blackness, just the calming feeling of complete release. She could breathe again, and was being set free from a prison she didn't even know she was in. She could vaguely make out something dancing along her vision, it was all around her, keeping her safe, making her body warm and kinda tingly all over. A relieved smile spread over her lips, she almost wanted to curl up and sleep here, but something else was nagging in her mind. The sound of a faraway scream sliced through her warm reverie, and she fought to regain all of her senses. Slowly but surely, the dancing warmth around her came into focus. Sound returned, then smell. Everything Hiko was getting back told her that something was very wrong. Another scream jolted her,_ that was Shippou..._

Immediately Hiko's head snapped up. She was still kneeling on the floor of the hut, but something else was wrong. Kaede wasn't there anymore, and she could still hear muffled screams. She focused her eyes on the dancing objects that were the source of her warm saftey and gasped. Fire. Kaede's hut was on fire.

* * *

Roasty toasty Miko.


	3. Chapter 3: Winds of Change

**The Winds of Change.**

**Ch. 3**

Fire, fire everywhere. The scream that had jolted Hiko from her own little world had come from Shippou, but, she couldn't see him, there were just flames every where. She tried to call out to the little fox kit, but only sucked in a lungful of smoke, which sent her into a coughing fit. Her eyes had started to water which made it even harder to see. A wave of panic swept through her and she felt like screaming in terror, but that's when Shippou's soft coughing caught her attention and his soft cry for help. Immediately her head snapped up and her mind was clear. The sound of ripping cloth joined the roar of the fire as Hiko tore a strip off her skirt and wrapped it around her nose and mouth to protect her from the smoke. _No water to soak it in, but it'll have to do._

"Shippou! Shippou where are you?!" Hiko managed to scream, the roar fire was deafening now and the heat was tremendous. She could faintly hear screams from outside, and noticed the reed mat had been burned away. InuYasha was standing just outside with a look of determination on his face. "InuYaaaaahhh!!!", her cry for help was cut short as a beam from the ceiling came down near her, sending her sprawling into the corner. She looked back towards the door, InuYasha looked as if he was utterly terrified, he shouted something to her, but Hiko couldn't make out a word.

A movement caught her attention from the corner, and she gasped, " Shippou!". The little kitsune had curled himself in a corner and was sobbing, without thinking, she grabbed Shippou and stood quickly, taking in the distance from her position now, and the door. _I'll have to jump over that beam...if I run fast enough, I will only be burned a little._ Gritting her teeth she tucked Shippou under her shirt for some meagre protection, and made a mad dash for the door. She could feel Shippou clinging to her bare stomach and crying, but she held him tight as she ran, closed her eyes, and jumped over the beam.

She knew she had just run through a wall of white hot fire, she felt the flames touch her skin, smelled the acrid smoke in the air, even heard Shippou scream from under her shirt, but never felt any pain. Infact, when she jumped the beam and landed on the other side, she just kept running, right into a waiting Inu hanyou.

"Hiko! Shippou! Are you both all right?!", InuYasha's voice was laced with fear and even a bit of suprise, she could still feel Shippou clinging to her skin, and she nodded towards InuYasha. She coughed violently a few moments before breathing out a scared, "Yes, InuYasha, i'm fine." and pulled the scared kitsune from under her shirt.

"Shippou-chan, daijoubou?" she panted out as she examined the little youkai and pulled the bit of cloth from her face. He was still whimpering, coughing, covered in soot, and looked like he had some fairly serious burns on his arms. He gave another heart-breaking sob and leaped at InuYasha, burying his face in the hanyou's red haori and crying his little eyes out.

For the most part, InuYasha just stood there staring at Hiko with wide eyes as he awkwardly patted Shippou's back in what was meant to be a comforting guesture, he blinked a few times before finally managing to say, " What...what happened?! One second you're all fine and the next the entire hut is on in fire!"

Hiko started to nod and recount what had happened in short sentances when the hut gave a large groan and collapsed, sending sparks high into the air. Hiko shuddered in the sudden cold of the night and looked around, when something struck her thoughts. Kaede was no where to be found.

" Kaede-sama!! InuYasha where is Kaede?!" She ran past the slightly suprised hanyou and frantically looked around the clearing. There, with several villiagers lay Kaede, covered by a rough blanket and unmoving. Hiko gave a jump when a familiar voice spoke up beside her and she turned only to find Miroku.

"Kaede is injured badly, though not dead. InuYasha managed to get to her before the flames grew too intense. Unfortunately, Kaede obaa-san was too near the direct source of the flames." Miroku said with a solemn tone, staring at the form of the older miko nearby.

"Is..is she going to be alright Houshi-sama?" that was Sango this time. Hiko turned and found the older woman behind her, holding a shivering, but unconsious baby kitsune youkai in her arms, as a grumbling InuYasha followed not far behind._ Poor Shippou must have passed out_, Hiko thought to herself with just a twinge of guilt.

"It is uncertain. With Kaede obaa-san's age, and the condition of her wounds..." Miroku sighed and ran a hand over his face. "...it is too soon to tell." He let his head fall slightly and motioned for the others to follow. They all complied, each sparing glances back towards the burning pile of wood that had once been a place of safety for all of them.

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Because InuYasha and his group were very well-respected in the village, the Headman gave them all a small, empty hut on the outskirts of town to stay in for the night. Kaede was moved to the Headman's hut under the care of his wife, since Kagome was decidedly not present to help Kaede heal with her "magic" medicines. Hiko had tried to offer what assistance she could, but the villagers decided she had done enough damage for one night.

Hiko sat silently now, alone and curled up in a corner of the hut with tears streaming down her face. She tried not to let the other's notice, but InuYasha's sharp voice cut at her when he growled out, "Stop crying already! It's not like you set the hut on fire yourself!"

Sango looked up at Hiko curiously and made her way over, wrapping an arm around the girl in the way Kagome had often done to her when she was upset. Hiko just gave a small sniffle and leaned into Sango's awkward embrace. _At least they still trust me,_ she thought with a small whimper. Miroku took this time to look at her now from his spot by the fire. Hiko could already tell what he was going to say, but yet again, the impatient hanyou beat him to it with his sharp tongue.

"Just what the hell happened in there, wench? I didn't hear anything or smell anything unusual, then the hut is on fire!! And you're the only one here without a single burn on you!" InuYasha was towering over her now, his arms crossed over his chest, and looking especially demonic in the firelight of the tiny hut.

"Leave her alone, InuYasha. I don't want to hear bickering right now." Sango had jumped up to defend her, staring down the formidable hanyou with a demonic stare of her own.

InuYasha looked as if he was about to yell in the Taijiya's face when Miroku tapped his shajuko on the wooden floor of the hut, making the rings shudder and clang which brought everyone's attention to him. "Hiko-san, besides yourself, Kaeda obaa-san, and Shippou, was anyone else in the hut?", Miroku looked completely at odds with the young, flirtacious man she had met earlier. He was serious, with lines etched into his forehead. He looked much older now.

"Iie, Houshi-sama." Hiko spoke softly," No one came in. Kaede obaa-san was reading into my soul, because I had a nightmare about Kagome. She was looking for information, then I sorta blacked out. When I came to, the hut was already on fire. I only heard Shippou calling for help." Hiko bit down on her bottom lip with a frown as she tried to remember anything else. Something she may have missed.

Miroku gave a thoughtful, "Hmm.." and poked idly at the fire as Sango came back to sit next to Hiko again. InuYasha looked as if he was about to blow a blood vessel.

"When I came in there to grab Kaede you were still awake! Hell, you were sitting right in the middle of a big flame, I thought you had already died where you were sitting! You were ON FUCKING FIRE!" InuYasha looked a little more disturbed than angry now as he looked down at Hiko, as if he was remembering something he would rather forget. Shippou gave a whimper from his spot in the corner. The little kit was bandaged up and curled into a bundle of blankets, sleeping fitfully and turning every so often with tiny whimpers.

Sango frowned and clenched her fist, muttering quietly, "Well she's not dead InuYasha! She's not burned, and she saved Shippou's life. We should be grateful no one died."

InuYasha "Keh!"''ed and marched outside, grumbling angrily. Hiko managed to catch, "Not yet.." before he disappeared into the night outside the hut. She knew he was talking about Kaede, who's chances of living through the night were slim. Sango sighed next to her and Miroku for his part, did nothing but look thoughtful. Hiko never felt so useless or so far from home in her entire life.

An awkward silence filled the hut then, only the sounds of Shippou's whines and the quiet crackling of the fire managed to cut through the thickness of it. Hiko was certain the beating of her heart would wake the poor Kit up when Miroku finally spoke up again quietly as he stared into the fire in front of him, "Hiko-san, InuYasha said that you were on fire, yet it's quite obvious you're not burned anywhere. Even InuYasha, with his superior demon blood managed to be singed in such a hot and intense fire. It is very troublesome that you have come out with no injuries to speak of at all."

Hiko blinked. She couldn't believe what she just heard._ Troublesome? Did they WANT me to get hurt?!_ Sango had felt Hiko tense beside her and flinched away slightly, before the girl opened her mouth and proved again that Kagome wasn't the only Higurashi with a temper.

"Well, EXCUSE me if I didn't feel like dying in some godforsaken hell hole! I apologize for not being burned to your standards! Shall I throw myself into the fire until you're satisfied, Houshi-_sama_?" She was struggling to stand now, feet stomping, with anger boiling in her eyes. They were suspicious of her too! Just like the villagers! Maybe they thought she had done enough damage too and wanted to drive her out. Hiko closed her eyes and felt her anger seethe, Miroku had the decency to look shocked and Sango was keeping her eyes averted. Hiko heard herself growl in frustration, and took their looks to mean that what she was thinking was true. They didn't trust her, and for some reason, it hurt.

Something happened then, she felt her body give a shudder, like an earthquake rumbled under her feet, and she suddenly couldn't breathe again. The small fire that was in the middle of the hut suddenly exploded into a large, white hot pyre with flames that shot up to lick greedily at the ceiling. Miroku gave a yelp and tried to scramble back, while Sango let out a frightened screamed and grabbed Shippou before running for the door. Hiko just stood there, staring at the fire with sheer horror.

InuYasha burst through the reed mat and cursed blackly from the unbearable heat that radiated from the column of fire in the middle of the hut. He raised the sleeve of his fire-rat haori to shield his face from it as he ran quickly to grab Miroku who had pressed himself against the wall of the hut and then fell unconsious. InuYasha turned to gather Hiko after he threw the monk over his shoulder, but had to stop and stare at the sight before him. Hiko was standing right next to the flames. Some of them were even catching fire to her clothes, lighting them up like candles and setting her ablaze. The heat from that distance was devestating for him, yet this girl was just standing there, and didn't even look like it was bothering her.

"You stupid girl!! Get away from there!!" InuYasha yelled at her. She turned to stare at him blankly, her usual dark eyes were illuminated in the fire, making them look an eerie shade of red. When she didn't move, InuYasha did what he thought he had to. He ran at her, caught her in the stomach, threw her over his shoulder, and burst through the door into the forgiving night air. The second he had left the hut, the fire died down again, and went out. Leaving the once blindingly bright hut dark and foreboding. Sango was next to him in an instant carrying buckets of water, even Shippou was awake now and carrying one, and Sango's fire-cat Kirara had two in her mouth.

"Houshi-sama! Hiko-chan!" Sango gasped as she looked at them both. Miroku looked worse for wear, his face was red and blistered in places and he looked feverish. Sango dropped her buckets and dipped a handful of water out to pour on the monk's face. "InuYasha! Is Hiko-chan alright?"

InuYasha carefully set the girl down in the grass. Her clothes were nearly burnt completely off, and she was unconsious. The inu hanyou blushed and quickly threw off his red haori, draping it over the girl to give her a bit more privacy. "Yeah. She's fine Sango." InuYasha muttered quietly. "She's not even burned."

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Hiko woke the next morning to the sight of dappled sunlight through the boughs of a tree. She smiled and gave a soft, peaceful sigh. Her head was propped up on something warm and fuzzy. She yawned and moved to snuggle closer to the soft fuzz, when it suddenly stirred under her and made a quiet purring growl noise. She gasped and shot up away from the fuzzy thing, turning and giving a small frightened squeal when she realized it was a huge saber-toothed cat animal with two tails. She was just about to jump up and run for it when it transformed in a swirl of fire into a much less threatening kitten with two tails. The animal gave an adorable mewl and rubbed its head against her bare knee, crying for attention.

Hiko dumbly scratched the tiny kitten behind its ears and it purred happily at the attention. "Wha...what are you?" Hiko asked softly. The little kitten mewled again and jumped into her lap for more attention, as if that was the answer to all life's questions.

"That's Kirara. She's my partner." Hiko turned to see Sango looking down at her with a soft, motherly smile. " She really likes you too. She's been watching over you ever since last night. Didn't leave you for a second."

Hiko smiled and stroked the kitten softly, "Thank you, Kirara." she said. Kirara gave her a loving mew and nuzzled against her hand before jumping up onto her shoulder. Sango had an amused look on her face as she motioned to Hiko. Hiko nodded and followed, but not without noticing what she was wearing around her shoulders. "Sango-chan? This is InuYasha's haori. How did I get it?" She paused for a moment before something else hit her, "And, how did I get outside anyway? I thought we were all in the hut."

Sango stared at her blankly and asked, "You don't remember anything from last night?" When Hiko shook her head no, Sango bit her lip and whispered, "There was another fire. It was acting strangely though. Houshi-sama was a little too close, he got a little heat struck. But you...InuYasha said you were standing right next to the flames. Your clothes were on fire and everything, but you still don't have any injuries. He had to knock you away from the fire just to get to you without being hurt himself."

Hiko checked herself underneath the haori. Yep, her clothes were mostly soot and ash, but her body didn't have a single blemish on it. _How did that happen? I should at least be burned a little._ She looked up at Sango with a bit of shock, and noticed the girl was looking back at her as if she were a bomb. "Sango-chan?" she asked softly.

"I'm sorry, Hiko-chan." Sango sighed and blushed slightly, averting her eyes back to the ground, "It's just, both fires happened around you, and you weren't injured at all. You have to admit that's a little strange...But we're not accusing you or anything!!" she added quickly, putting up her hands and shaking her head at the girl.

Hiko sighed. Things were just getting worse. Maybe it was better if she just went home and hoped they found Kagome. _No. I can't do that. I can't just abandon Kagome like that._ She frowned deeply and straightend her shoulders a little more, almost knocking Kirara off her perch. "It is strange, Sango-chan. I can't explain it. I don't even remember half of it, but we've got more important things to worry about. Kaede is hurt, and Kagome is missing. I was brought here for a reason, and I want to find my cousin." she nodded for emphasis, just to make sure Sango knew she meant business.

"Hiko-chan...Kaede obaa-san lived through the night, and the headman's wife said she is healing well. I went to see her myself and she was up and speaking." Sango said softly, staring down at the dirt. Hiko couldn't figure out why she didn't want to look at her.

"That's great Sango-chan! We should be happy!" Hiko frowned, something was up.

"She said she knew where we needed to go."

"And..?"

"She said we should go to...go to...the Temple of the Fire kami."

Hiko bit down on her lip, _Fire...again. I wonder if the Fire Kami had anything to do with the weird fires around here._ She was about to mention it, when Sango spoke up again.

"Hiko-chan. The Fire Kami is merciless to mortals. If that's where Kagome is, then we should be preparing for the worst." Sango glanced up at her now, and Hiko saw tears brimming in the older woman's eyes. That's when Hiko realized, _She doesn't look at me...because I look like Kagome. It makes her sad to look at me._ Kirara made a sad noise near her ear, and Hiko could do nothing more than shake her head.

"Don't worry, Sango-chan. We'll get to her in time. We at least know where to start looking." She rubbed Sango's shoulder comfortingly as they walked back to the village, past the ruins of Kaede's hut and into the Headman's house. The Headman was a short, fat, squat man with very little hair. He looked rather genial though, smiling at the both of them as they entered his home. The Headman's wife was the perfect compliment to her husband. She was also short, fat and squat, only with a little more hair. Her face was screwed up into a frown as she looked over Hiko.

"Tch. A young girl like you should be wearing decent clothes!" the Headman's wife squawked at her, as she bustled over to a bin and pulled out a smooth kimono and an apron to hand to Hiko.

"Arigatou, Baa-san." Hiko said politely with a humble bow. The Headman's wife ushered her into a room and behind a screen to change, leaving Sango to visit Kaede first. The kimono she was given was orange with bright red flowers decorating the sleeves and hem, while the practical apron was a soft white. There wasn't much left of her clothes, so she set them off to the side. The only thing that managed to survive was the bit of her skirt she had torn off and used to cover her face. She grabbed it and used it to tie back her hair away from her already sweaty neck. _Man do I ever miss air-conditioning._, she thought sadly. Come to think of it, she missed having a shower handy too. With a quick smoothing of her frizzy hair and adjusting of her new apron she carefully peeked out from behind her changing screen. When she emerged the Headman's wife gave a sharp nod and then proceeded to poke and prod her into Kaede's room before slamming the shoji screen closed with a loud snap.

InuYasha, Sango, Shippou, Kirara, Miroku and Kaede all turned to stare at her. Hiko was already feeling pushed around, and now she was being stared down. She really didn't feel like dealing with all this.

"What?!" she snapped at them, feeling a bit violated.

"Nothing, Hiko-san. You just look rather lovely in your new clothes, if I do say so myself." Miroku gave her a lecherous grin and a wink, which earned him a hard glare from Sango.

"Keh. At least I can have my haori back now." InuYasha thrust out his hand to her while Hiko rolled her eyes and shoved the rough, red cloth into his hand. Which he promptly pulled back on and into place. Kirara mewled and jumped onto her shoulder again, nuzzling affectionately at her neck and purring.

"I've never seen the fire-cat so affectionate. She must really fancy ye, child." Kaede grinned at her, but it looked strained and fake. Hiko was just about done with the idle chit chat.

"So. The Fire Temple, huh? Sounds rough. When are we leaving?" Hiko grinned inwardly as the room gave a collective wince at her boldness.

"I don't want you to go!" Shippou cried out softly.

"But Shippou, if we don't go, we may lose Kagome. We can't have that." Hiko sighed and sat next to the little kit. He was really starting to grow on her.

"The brat isn't coming, he's still burned and can't travel and I ain't waiting until he can. It'll just be me, you, and maybe Sango and Kirara." InuYasha glanced up at Sango who faultered slightly. It didn't look like she was scared, but the way she was eyeing the monk told Hiko everything. _She wants to stay and keep an eye on him._ She grinned up at Sango, who blushed and turned away.

"Kirara will go. She likes Hiko-chan and will be able to hold you when you get Kagome-chan." Sango nodded at Kirara, and the fire-cat gave an affirmitive mewl.

InuYasha growled impatiently and walked out without another word. Hiko sighed inwardly, _traveling with him is gonna be a hoot._ She listened to Miroku and Kaede talk about supplies for a minute, before Kaede spoke directly to her, making her jump.

"Hiko-san, I know not what awaits you at the Temple of Fire. You must both tread lightly on such holy grounds. My reading into your soul was interrupted by the anger of the Fire Kami. That is the only way to explain the bizzare happenings." Kaede shifted uncomfortably and spoke again, this time in a hushed, warning tone, " Ye are under the protection of the Fire Kami, child. He wants ye for something. Kagome-san, with her appearence that so closely resembles yours, may have been mistaken for you."

Hiko frowned and shook her head, "What would the Fire Kami want with me? I'm not even from this time."

"It is the only explanation for your uninjured body. InuYasha said you were naught but a few steps from the burning flames. It is the source of the odd aura about ye, child. It may be why ye have come to this place to begin with."

Hiko had to admit, the old woman had her there. It would explain a lot, but not the very crucial question of why. Hiko shook her head again and closed her eyes, trying to get her mind together. She was being protected by a dangerous God that kidnapped her cousin. What were the odds. A sudden thought came over her then, drawing her up into a look of horror. "Kaede-sama!! If i'm the one being protected, what will happen to Kagome when the Fire Kami figures out she's not me?!"

Kaede frowned and lowered her eye to the floor, "Our Kagome-san will die."

* * *

Oh noes! Hope Kagome doesn't die.

As per usual with all chapters. If there is a word you don't understand, ask me and I'll translate for you! Otherwise I hope you enjoy enough to review!


	4. Chapter 4: Baptism of Flame

**Final Fuedal Fairy Tale**

**Chapter four: Baptism of Flame**

"C'mon Kirara! You can do it! Get that thing!", Hiko giggled as the fire-cat chased a particularly wily dragonfly near the bank of the river they were resting at. InuYasha had decided that once the supplies were packed, they were going to head out. There was no arguing with him after that. Hiko rolled her eyes in the general direction of the surly hanyou. She had to bribe him with food in order just to rest and get out of the summer heat. Now he was muttering to himself out in the middle of the river with his sleeves rolled up, trying to catch a few fish for lunch. Hiko squinted and looked at the position of the sun from her shady spot under a young tree, it was just a little after noon, and they were just under three hours from the village. She could still see it off on the horizon. _It's beautiful from this far away. The little huts and rice paddies make it look so serene._ She smiled softly at the little village, enjoying the peace before it became the loud, noisy Tokyo city she knew so well.

A triumphant call and a loud splash had her giggling as InuYasha managed to toss a large fish onto the bank. She got up from her spot, brushed the dirt off her kimono, and walked over to collect it. She grabbed it firm by the tail when InuYasha looked over at her and mumbled, "I haven't cleaned it yet. Just stick it over there by the fire."

Hiko grinned and shook her head, "I know how to clean a fish. You work on another and i'll clean this one." She nodded and felt very accomplished then, before she realized one important flaw in her "clean the fish" plan. She had no knife. _Come to think of it. Neither does InuYasha. Maybe he's got one stashed in his poofy pants._ She giggled to herself before yelling over her shoulder, "InuYasha! Do you have a knife on you somewhere?"

She jumped when his gruff voice came up behind her, "Keh! I don't NEED a knife.", he said as he shoved his long, lethal looking claws under her nose. She looked up at him, and there he was, still a little damp and carrying two more fish. A small one, and another large one. "Here Kirara." Hiko watched as he tossed the smaller fish to the kitten and she mewed her appreciation before digging in. She smiled up at InuYasha and he blinked down at her in confusion and backed up a little, "What's that look for?!"

"Oh nothing.", Hiko grinned, " You're just a sweetheart under that tough-guy act, aren't you?" She giggled when he gave another "KEH!" and sat down next to her to clean the fish and set them on sticks to roast over the coals of the little fire they had made. She sighed softly again as the fish started to brown, before turning to InuYasha again. Who had his eyes closed, arms folded, and legs crossed on the opposite side of the fire.

"InuYasha?", she asked softly, fanning herself to keep the heat away.

"What?", was her gruff reply.

"When was the last time you saw Kagome?"

He peeked open his eye and sighed, trying to gather his thoughts. Hiko had to bite back the urge to giggle as his ears twitched on the top of his head. _That must mean he's thinking!_

"The day before you showed up actually. She said she had to go back to visit her family. I told her that she sees them all the time and that she needs to stay here and help us find more jewel shards. Then she got all mad and sat me." He grumbled out the last part and almost...pouted. Hiko thought he looked just like a puppy who'd been caught digging through the trash.

"She sat you? What does that mean?"

He tugged on the dark beads around his neck, "Its a subduing rosary. All Kagome has to do is say "Osuwari" and I eat dirt."

She stared at him for a moment, letting it build up behind her eyes, before she couldn't hold it in any more and burst into giggles. He growled at her and she had to take a few deep breaths to calm down again. "G..gomen InuYasha..Hee." she snickered again, "I just can't see my little itoko yelling "Osuwari!" all across the countryside." Kirara had finished her fish and bounded into her lap again, purring happily as Hiko started to pet the little cat.

"I swear that cat is in love with you or something." InuYasha added as he turned over the fish on the sticks. "Almost done".

"Yeah. She is pretty sweet. I have one just like her at home actually. Only without two tails and the fire." She smiled softly and thought back to her home, the images were now laced with a bit of pain. _Do I ever get to see that place again?_ She sighed and put her finger on the little diamond on Kirara's forehead, "She even has the little diamond mark on her forehead." Kirara mewed and rubbed her head against Hiko's hand affectionately in response.

"Don't worry." Came a suprisingly tender voice from InuYasha, "Kagome will know what to do when we find her. You'll be able to go home with her."

Hiko smiled brightly at him and nodded, "Thank you, InuYasha."

He gave a short grunt in reply, then added, "Fish are done."

*************************************************************************

Several hours had gone by now and the sun was just about ready to set. InuYasha asked if she wanted to make camp, but much to his suprise, she refused. "Kirara says...ugh. Excuse me... she can carry us through the night. She's been sleeping on my shoulder most of the day." she said sleepily, barely managing to stifle a yawn with her hand.

InuYasha raised an eyebrow and said, "Kirara told you that?"

Hiko nodded sleepily and held out Kirara under his nose. The firecat stared at him with wide, red eyes and gave a small mew. InuYasha just said "Keh! I don't need to sleep. I'll just run through the night." and turned away. Hiko nodded again and set Kirara down then stepped back. She didn't even flinch when Kirara transformed into her full fire-cat form, and instead just patted her gently, then climbed onto her back. Kirara took off into the sky with InuYasha following in the treetops below. Hiko stretched and yawned, seemingly completely unaware of her surroundings. She took one good look around her and gave a small shiver.

"Kirara go down a little, I need to ask InuYasha something." the firecat growled and descended closer to the trees, where InuYasha spotted them and hopped onto Kirara.

"What is it now?!" InuYasha was panting slightly, obviously she had ruined his groove.

"Shouldn't we be going that way?", Hiko said simply. "We need to go that way". She pointed off to the West, towards a range of mountains. InuYasha turned his head to the west and squinted against the darkness. His nose twitched as he tried to smell anything in that direction, but the wind was against him. "Go that way", Hiko said again, and Kirara whined and turned towards the mountains.

"What makes you so sure it's that way?" InuYasha grumbled.

"Because!", she said happily, "because the Fire Kami told me so." She giggled insanely and slumped foreward onto Kirara, instantly asleep. InuYasha stared at her for a moment and growled.

"Stay on this course then, Kirara. If she starts acting weird again, tell me." InuYasha jumped off the fire-cat's back and into the trees again, breaking out into a run at full speed, pulling ahead of Kirara and headed towards the mountains.

_She was in a garden, surrounded by a growth of firey red lillies, and beyond that, complete darkness. In her hands was a laurel made of them, halfway finished. She was dressed in a heavy, elegant, and ornate kimono. Laced with scarlets and golds, she even had ornate tassels in her hair made of gold. The kind made for only the highest of royalty. "What's going on? Where am I?" Her voice echoed around her several times, showing how very alone she was. She tried to get up and move, but her body refused to respond. "InuYasha? Kirara?! Where are you?!" she was starting to panic now. She felt eyes on the back of her neck, but cursed when her body refused to turn so she could check behind her. "Who's there?!" she called into the darkness._

_"We thought we had lost you." came a soft male voice from the darkness that surrounded her. It was overpowering, comming from all directions. "You can't trick us again though. I know its you this time. No more replacements. Its time to come home Hiko-sama."_

_Lights shone through the darkness, like spotlights on a theatrical stage, showing pieces of a set in the darkness. Gleaming walls made of shiny onyx, figures and statues made to her likeness, a view from what looked like a gorgeous mountain top, an altar covered with the very same flowers she was weaving into a laurel, and a pillar of fire set into a room decorated with onyx and gold. They all looked so foreign, and so familiar._

_"That's not my home.." Hiko started softly. The darkness lurched at her, as if trying to touch her, or trying to capture her. She still couldn't move, and started to panic, she didn't want to go there! Something deep in her soul stirred, she couldn't go back there, there was no way she could go there. Her life was over if she ever went back there. "I WILL NOT GO BACK!!"_

She heard InuYasha calling her name from far away, or as if he were yelling at her through a tunnel. Her body felt light, too light. Infact, she couldn't feel Kirara at all, she couldn't feel anything. "Inu...InuYasha?" She opened her eyes slowly, there was something bright on the other side of her eyelids, she couldn't make it out at first, and it slowly but surely came into focus.

She was surrounded by fire, a circle of it, burning away around her. It was like a wall, protecting her from whatever was on the other side. Even more shocking was the fact that she wasn't even touching the ground any more, she was suspended in the air, hovering. "InuYasha!! Help!...GAH! How the hell do I get down from here!!" She heard him give a viscious growl and heard the sound of metal meeting metal, the sounds of battle. "Oh no! InuYasha! Are you okay?!" When she didn't get a response her heartbeat quickened and she thought he had been hurt. Seemingly almost in response, the circle of fire around her blazed higher, which only served to frighten her more. The more frightened she became, the higher, brighter, and hotter the flames became. "NO! InuYasha!!", she cried out in panic, closing her eyes and covering her head.

"Calm down you idiot! You're making it worse!!" That was the inu hanyou for sure, _If he has time to insult me, he has to be okay._ She whimpered softly and peeked out from around her. The fire that surrounded her had died down to a swirling vortex of bright embers that danced around her. She still wasn't touching the ground, which made her panic slightly again. As soon as she did, the embers caught fire again and became the wall of fire it was before. _It responds to my emotions...Calm down Hiko, it's okay...kinda. _

She took a deep breath and tried to ignore the fact her feet weren't touching the ground. The fire again died down to tiny embers, before her feet finally settled back onto solid earth. Her knees gave way then, and she plopped back to the ground. "InuYasha...what...what happened?", she asked softly, looking up to see him standing there with his giant sword, beside another, taller man with a large fluffy...thing wrapped around his shoulder. "Who..who are you?"

InuYasha opened his mouth to respond, but the taller man spoke first. "I am the Taiyoukai of the West. Lord of the lands you are trespassing on.", Hiko had to fight to supress a small shiver. The man was expressionless, he didn't seem mad, but his tone indicated severe annoyance with the world in general.

"Keh! Tresspassing, bullshit. I made sure to stay out of your "lands", you bastard." InuYasha turned again to face him, lifting his sword to point at the stoic man beside him.

"This Sesshoumaru has made no mistake. These lands were recently acquired, and therefore you are still trespassing, fool."

"I don't care! I'm here for Kagome so you better stay out of my way. I won't hesitate to hack you into tiny pieces!"

"Um...", came Hiko's soft interjection.

"As if a dirty half-breed could match my power.", the Taiyoukai said again. He looked...bored. He was staring at his claws and occasionally glacing off in her direction.

"Bastard!", InuYasha growled, and lunged at the Taiyoukai with his sword. The taiyoukai just smirked and stepped to the side with speed Hiko's eyes couldn't see, then returned a blow to the back of InuYasha's neck. _He's just playing with InuYasha._ InuYasha growled and raised his sword over his head, "Kaze no Kizu!" he bellowed and swung his sword down at the arrogant youkai. The ground erupted with light, tearing fissures in the rock and soil as it raced towards the still stoic youkai. Hiko had to shield her eyes as the light passed by her and specks of dirt and rock bounced off her body. When she opened her eyes again, the Taiyoukai had InuYasha by the neck and was slowly squeezing the life out of him.

"Die...", he said softly and dangerously, right in InuYasha's face.

"B-ba..astard...", InuYasha choked out.

"Stop that!!", Hiko was up again now, tired of just sitting there. Who the hell did this guy think he was?! "Put him down damnit!" she ran over and pushed the taller youkai, but he didn't budge. All he did was just raise a slender eyebrow down at her, while InuYasha was starting to turn purple. "I said put him down this instant!!" She tried to push him again. Nothing. She was starting to get very frustrated, InuYasha had already passed out now.

"You dare to order this Sesshoumaru?", his voice was still the same, quiet, bored...arrogant tone. He had turned to her now, after unceremoniously dropping InuYasha to the ground. Hiko was still fuming, so she didn't think to check on him, and instead glared up at the much taller youkai.

"And you still don't listen very well do you? I had to tell you like..three times!" She rolled her eyes and crossed her arms over her chest, giving him her patented 'look'. The thought never seemed to cross her mind that the person in front of her could kill her in a second. He just stood there, glaring down at her. Every so often his nose would twitch delicately. _InuYasha does that when he's sniffing me...that's so freaking creepy!!_ She squirmed and snapped at him, "What?!", she rolled her eyes again and added, "Jeeze, you are the rudest person I think i've met so far!"

Hiko found herself dangling over the ground for the second time that night as a large, pale hand closed around her throat. Her hands immediately shot up to try and pry his fingers away from her throat, but it wasn't doing any good. His grip was like an iron vice, and it was slowly cutting off her air supply. She tried to speak, but couldn't force any air into her lungs. Sesshoumaru brought her face close to his and hissed, "You will not insult this Sesshoumaru and live, filthy human." His grip tightened painfully again, popping the soft tendons in the back of her neck. _He's going to KILL me!! He's going to break my neck!! _Hiko scrambled with renewed fervor, scratching at his hand with her nails, but nothing was working. Her eyes started to cloud over with black, and she could feel her heartbeat weakening. She was going to die, she would never see her home again, her cousin, her family. She was going to die in Fuedal Japan, and no one would remember her...

_NO!_

Her body felt light again, her vision cleared, and she was staring down at a somewhat suprised looking Taiyoukai. She wrapped her fingers around his wrist, and clamped down, she felt bones snap under her fingers, but refused to release her grip. His hold on her neck weakened and she pulled free which allowed her to take in a breath of much needed air. As soon as her lungs had filled with air, her panic was replaced by anger. Seething, burning rage. She looked down at the youkai in front of her, her hand still clamped down on his broken wrist and whispered, "No..." Her body immediately went up in white-hot flames, they wrapped around her body and scorched her clothes, before traveling over the Taiyoukai like snakes, burning his flesh and skin. She felt him tugging his wrist to get away, but she absolutely refused to release him. Her anger was consuming her, engulfing her like the fire around her body. The tendrils of fire shot out from around her and set fire to the trees and bushes around them. She was reveling in the destruction and yelp of pain that came from her captured would-be killer, when something cut through the searing heat and brushed her consiousness.

A little girl was standing just at the edge of the clearing, with tears in her eyes. She was screaming something, and Hiko calmed long enough to hear, "Sesshoumaru-sama!! No! Please don't die!" from her. She looked utterly terrified and heart-broken. Hiko looked across from her towards the once proud taiyoukai. He was on his knees now, writhing in pain as the fire of Hiko's rage burned away at his flesh.

_What am I doing? This...this isn't me! _Hiko gasped, released her grip on his wrist and jumped back. The fire that had once raged out of control suddenly died out, leaving burnt foliage, embers and smoke in it's wake. Hiko stared at her hands disbelivingly. _I..I almost killed someone. How did that happen, what have I become?_ She shuddered in the cold, and the little girl who was shouting to the youkai ran up to him now, still crying her eyes out.

"How could you hurt Sesshoumaru-sama!?", she glared up at Hiko then, sniffling clinging on to what was left of his sleeve.

"He...he tried to...and then I...gomen nasai..i'm so sorry! I didn't mean for that to happen!", Hiko felt tears welling up in her eyes. She was so confused and scared. The youkai in front of her looked so badly burned, he was breathing heavily and was slumped over the little girl. The girl was trying so hard to wake him up, she kept telling him not to die. She would stop putting flowers in his hair, and stop teasing something called "Jaken-sama" if the youkai would just not die. The scene tore at Hiko's heart. _I did this...how could I?_

She was really crying now. Something she hadn't done since she became a teenager. Fat tears that hit the charred earth beneath her and sizzled away. She heard the youkai grumble something, and the little girl nodded and whistled loudly. A large, two-headed dragon came bursting through the underbrush then, carrying a small, ugly-looking toad on its back. He was about to yell, but stopped short at the sight of the youkai on the ground, "Milord!! Sesshoumaru-sama! What happened?!" He jumped off and ran to his Lord's side, carrying an awkward staff in his hands.

"The lady burned him, Jaken-sama! He won't let Rin touch him!", the little girl sniffled, still clinging to the sleeve of the downed youkai.

"Burned him?!", the toad turned to Hiko now, brandishing his staff, "How dare you attack Milord Sesshoumaru! I'll give you a taste of the fires of hell!" He aimed his staff at Hiko and she flinched away, but Sesshoumaru's voice cut in.

"No..Jaken...Tensaiga, put it in my hand.", his voice was raspy and strained, but audible. The Jaken-toad squeaked a quick, "Aye!" and scrambled over, taking one of the swords at the Taiyoukai's belt and pressing it into his palm. Sesshoumaru gripped the sword, and pressed the hilt to his forehead, closing his eyes. His wounds, which were already healing rapidly, had started to close up even faster. Causing the taiyoukai to wince in pain as his skin mended. Once he was able to stand, he glared at her and rasped out, "What are you?"

Hiko flinched again. She didn't know any more either. She had never gotten so angry before, and now she was a walking fire hazard. She glanced up at him and murmured, "Gomen nasai, Sesshoumaru-sama...I didn't mean to...I've never. I'm sorry. Please forgive me." InuYasha stirred then, growling about his head. Sesshoumaru turned bored eyes to the hanyou and climbed up on the two-headed dragon. "Come Rin, Jaken."

"Hai, Sesshoumaru-sama!" The little girl smiled brightly and climbed up behind him, "C'mon Jaken-sama or you'll be left behind again!"

"Milord we are just going to leave her to live?!", Jaken squawked, eyeing her again. Sesshoumaru just turned away and the Dragon took to the skies. The toadie cried out and ran off, yelling, "Wait for me, please Sesshoumaru-sama!" as InuYasha sat up dazedly. Hiko slumped back to the ground, sniffling into her hands and trying not to sob. InuYasha just stared at her with squinted eyes as he looked around, trying to make sense of the destruction that wasn't there when he blacked out.

"What the hell happened?!", InuYasha asked gruffly as he dusted soot off his haori.

Hiko looked up at him with wide, terrified eyes, and didn't miss InuYasha's gasp of suprise when she said, "I'm a monster...nothing but a monster."

* * *

Right! Sesshoumaru got burned.


End file.
